Expanding the gaming content on Lancers Reactor

Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:21 am by Argh

Spring.

I will probably do some modding work for this at some point in the relatively near future (we're talking 2-3 months- I have a lot of FL stuff I want to get done first, and no, I won't be "leaving"- just doing some side-work).

Spring is a beautiful game engine, it's Open Source, it's sci-fi, it's totally free, and it has a vibrant community. And, um... if we sort've cross-pollinated with them, and some sort've Open Source FL "sequel" got built, I think that modelers, skinners, animators, programmers etc. could all really find a greater community and bigger support.

I know this may sound weird, but I sort've feel that TLR might have its best possible future as being sort've a "hub" for modders in general. This is one of the best-organized modding sites ever built (really, I should know- I've been to a lot of them) and if, as things move forwards, we could serve as a collective modding exchange... we might really have a nice thing going here that would last darn-near forever.

Places like Polycount already have FPS modding pretty well tied up. I think that if TLR "cornered" the sci-fi game-modding talent pool, it'd really have a lasting future as a destination site. Just concentrating on "fly-around-in-spacecraft" genre games is probably not going to work, however. There just aren't enough high-quality titles out there... and most of them have their audience pretty well locked up. The SY clan (the developers of Spring) would probably welcome having another friendly, modder-centered website that supported them and helped out with bandwidth, and I think that there is a lot of potential for FL modelers and scriptors to work on Spring mods, and vice-versa. In short, it's an excellent match... plus I'd be happy because my two favorite modding environments would be here, and I could send Spring people here and get them hooked on FL and TLR without causing a ruckus

Sun Dec 11, 2005 1:06 am by mikefisher

freespace is cool, and nice looking, can somebody do a mod like fifth gear because it always crash's on me?

Emachines Amd 64 3400+ 1GB 80GB ATI radeon xpress 200

Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:00 am by Chips

I think everyone should read Esqualix's post, otherwise this thread is going to be difficult to be constructive.

We should try to find what sort of genre people would like, or if the genre doesn't matter to anyone (ie any type as long as it's good!). Whether it is a new game (so there is news, new things to talk about etc) or just old and fairly queit classics instead. What platform (PC only, or consoles too?), already released - or slated for release within the next year or so etc.

Once the community has an agreement about the type of game, or knows of any potential limiting factors at all... then we can move forward and go down the path of suggestions.

Until then, this will remain what it is starting to be... disorganised, without focus, and imo not conducive to moving a website forward.

After all, what infrastructure will we have? That front page is massive, the cookies for it don't work (else you could select how old the news is that you see, cutting down its size drastically), what type of news you can see (so you can remove all non relevant news). How would new games integrate? Same space background, yet with RTS game on the side nav? What about forums etc? Just more to the general list, or seperate?

What do others think? Or are you happy with just naming suggestions at the present time?

Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:44 am by Andan

I definitely want something more along the lines of a space-sim. Right now something that would feel and look similiar to FL but expands it leaps beyond.

Some of the past notable (in my opinion) of great titles...to help get ideas flowing...

Descent: Freespace and Expansion*
Freespace 2*
X1, X2, X3
Starlancer (obvious)
Star Trek: Bridge Commander
Wing Commander (haven't played it)
Freelancer (of course)*
*My Favs
Links...
Freespace 1: Click here
Freespace 2: Click here

Darkstar-One does look promising, although the idea of interchangable parts (like what has been suggested for automobiles) are like a previous title that never gained popularity (I can't put my finger down on the name). It has a good idea of having a moddable ship, but seems to lack a choice of ships like freelancer does. And taking from what I've seen on there website, the gui layout looks similiar to FL but it doesn't seem to have the same beauty, awe, and grace FL does. Although after reading some posts in their forums, a mention of Freespace type action does intrique me. Definitely a title to keep an eyeball on.

Onward to "what should be our focus"...
I think that Chips and Esqualix both have viable and valid points. For me I would like to see some more commitment to producing more (and better) titles for the space-sim genre. I must say for myself, I didn't enter into the space-sim genre until late '99 when I played Freespace 1 for the first time (several years late

). Since then I've played a few other titles, but kept looking for something with more "oomph" to it, and FL was the one, but has left me craving for more.

I would very much like to get involved in any project that would have a serious and dedicated community to support it for a sequel to Freelancer.

Right now we need people to get serious about doing something.

Edited by - Andan on 12/11/2005 2:47:41 AM

Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:48 am by -Trail-

I think you should stick to Space-Based games and go for the new Star Trek game and EVE Online

Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:23 am by mantaray

how about the best space-baced rts ever

HOMEWORLD 2

or its pequisits,
p.s. like the ships in this game?
then download Mantaray's HWFL 0.5 public beta!

Edited by - mantaray on 12/11/2005 3:25:11 AM

Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:37 am by Argh

@Chips:

My apologies. I guess when I think about "the future", I'm kind've assuming that, at some point not-too-darn-far, we will actually have a new website with a more modern frontend, where users can be "portalized" or get custom News.

I'd be cool with just space stuff, if there was enough of it to garantee an audience. My thought on that is that our only real hope is that either OpenLancer or some other project comes to fruition. At some point soon, I'll take the time to talk about the current Design Document for that project, but its future is far from certain at this time.

If things have to stay the way they always have, technology-wise, then we kind've have some serious problems. Look at how little use the DS stuff is seeing. I don't think *all* of it has to do with community backlash or lack of audience. I think some of it is that it's just a small chunk... that occasionally has gigantic News posts associated with it.

My feeling about all of this is that ... given how things have gone... why don't we get a newer website interface, and go ahead and bite the bullet, and start porting over all of the Tutorials and other things, one thing at a time? For the most part, the links, etc., would port just fine... and then the massive headaches y'all have had with the database wouldn't be an issue. This site could be left up, but just not updated, so we wouldn't really lose anything... just a thought, folks...

Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:42 am by sycho warrior

I'd say new games, or rather upcoming games, esp those without a fanbase. Then the fanbase can be built up.

Sun Dec 11, 2005 4:15 am by Zyl

Vendetta Online

Sun Dec 11, 2005 4:55 am by richard s

i cant wait for star gate alliance to hit the stores. should be good.

Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:05 am by mantaray

homeworld 2 or prequisits would be good for us rts fans out there,

Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:41 am by Andan

o.O forgot about Stargate: The Alliance...hopefully the graphics will be on par and model details will be better than the leaked screenshots. Huge stargate fan!

Sun Dec 11, 2005 7:06 am by house atreides

I have to agree that a outline on what path TLR will take should be adressed first. OpenLancer is a very good ideal but as already stated it's furture is not yet set. Myself I would like to see the site stay with sci-fi themed games like freelancer, nexus, EVE Online, and others of that sort, maybe not just FPS or RTS, but sci-fi games in general.
How IS the feedback on dungon seige? I dont play fantasy games, Morrowind being the exception, but I dont see anything in the front page concerining DS or DS2.

Blessed Be to all those that still dream of the flight to the stars.

quote " You wouldn't like my Happy Place it is full of blood, carnage, and destruction" :ME

Sun Dec 11, 2005 7:49 am by Ricardius

I tend to agree here with some. For space based... Stargate The Alliance. For outside the Space niche... The City Building series, Ceasar IV, (Coming soon) Children of the Nile, Stronghold 2 and soforth.... If you would like my personal favs.... The Combat Flight sim series.

Sun Dec 11, 2005 11:47 am by FriendlyFire

I say we should try as much as possible not to get near the FPS genre, as it is well covered (Others already told that, I'm just restating) and its fanbase is, for the most part (Don't want to insult FPS fans on TLR), totally different from ours.

Also, I think that Consoles should be a no go, as not everyone want to invest in consoles when they already have a nice computer. Also, TLR is surely one of the best modding community I ever saw, and well... Modding on console is near to unexistent.

If we want to stick to Space-themed games, we can. But we must open up to new styles like RTS and such. Earth 21-- Series, Homeworld Series, X series, Master of Orion Series, Ground Control Series, Nexus, Perimeter, maybe even Warhammer 40k, Star Wars : Empires at War, Alpha Centauri or Starcraft...
(That list was made from looking around, some titles might be useless, I only built a little list)

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